Just to put the record straight here, I appreciate everyone has their own opionions about plushenko, but from meeting him in person twice this year, I can tell you not only is he a really nice and respectful person, who appreciates very much his true fans, he also trains extremely hard to keep up to such a high standard. I saw this when I travelled 12 hours from England to Pinzolo in Italy, this year to watch him train at the summer training camps and I can tell you he is totally unbelievable to watch and has a powerful magic you can not discribe. Everyone has their own opionions but few have had the greatest pleasure of meeting him in person and getting to know what an exception person he realy is.. You can not believe the negative comments in the press about him, which I can tell you are completely untrue.http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/rus/evgeni+plushenko/1000897/gallery;_ylt=AlwfeMOMjIfl.ILjsxgJJEOtIbh_

Oh my god. :plush47: :plush47: :plush47: To be honest, I don't care how Evgeni places at this Euros at this point...I just want it to be done with so that he can please, please get better...

yes, I start feeling the same now, he must care first for his health. But we are not sportsmen, they are special kind of people. For them the injuries are common thing. They learn to live with them and overcome them. Zhenya deserves congratulations that he competes with injuries and pain. Nevertheless I feel so sorry for him :plush34:

Zhenya said to the Journalists that he feel a very strong pain in knee, no injections help. If things go like that he will not do the quad in the long too. But he will not give up in any case, only if he "Cannot get out of bed in the morning".... Where you find that? :du_ma_et:

I have just heard it in the commentary on Russia2 :http://tvsport24.info/tv_social_online.php?channel=49

cekoni:Can someone to translate? excuse me, I translate article for the first time.-------------------------

http://www.sports.ru/others/figure-skating/135401822.html

Evgeni Plushenko : “If you are already in the battle, you have to fight till the end”

The Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko, after his short program at the European championships in Sheffield /84,71 points/, told us about his skating and the injury in the knee, which he got short before the training, reports the correspondent of Sports.ru Svetlana Veklitzeva.

-What are your impressions of the short program?- In general, I am satisfied. Yes, without the quad, it would be difficult to win, but yesterday at the training I got an injury at the knee, so for 24 hours they made me 5 injections. That’s why I did not even try to do the quad nor at the morning training, neither at the short.In theory, I could have jumped it, but then I would not be able to skate the program till the end, because I would have to stand for 2 or 3 minutes without moving, so that the pain passes away. There was even the question if we should not give up and go away from the Europeans. But if you are already in the battle, you have to fight till the end. That’s it.

- What makes you continue to skate?- Only the games in 2014, the home Olympics. I wish to go to the podium in Sochi, it would be the main moment in my career. I have no other financial or some other reason.

- At this championships, do you fight more with yourself or with the other competitors?- I don’t fight with the competitors for a long time now. Of course there is a competition, all the boys are young, they have made a great progress and I try to catch up with them. But most of all I fight with myself and my injuries.

- How do you plan to continue with your medical treatment?- After the Europeans I will have an operation. There is a crack, an injury of the meniscus, it should be eliminated. That is why I will skate like that this season, but the next one will be another story, - said Plushenko.

Plushenko excludes the possibility to go away from the Europeans because of injury

Sheffield /UK/, 26 jan. – RIA Novosti. The Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko stated, that in any case he will participate in the Long Program in the European championships, but he will not do the quad.Plushenko participated in the short program in Thursday in the European championships, performing because of injury in the knee an easier program without a quad.. The Olympic champion received 84,71 points.

“I think there is no chance to recover the quad for the free program,” told Plushenko the journalists. “I have a crack in the meniscus and no aesthetics help any more, I have to do an operation urgently. But the free program I will do at any case. I will not go only if I cannot get out of bed.”

Plushenko decided not to do the quad, like he said it, in the evening before the performance.

“Yesterday I decided not to do the quad. I tried twice at the training to do it and I could not skate after that. It was a real disaster. That is why we decided not to make the quad. I made the easier program. Otherwise I had to give up. But I will not give up.”

The Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko considers, that Gachinski skated worthy the short program and deserved the highest marks at the European championships in Sheffield /UK/.

Gachinski won for the short program 84,80 points. This is 0,09 more than Plushenko’s points. Unlike Gachinski, Plushenko did not make the quad, because of injury.

“I watched Arthur skating and all the skaters too, because they are my competitors, big masters,” said Plushenko at the press-conference. “Arthus skated worthy, at a high level. Marvelously did the jumps well, and the whole program too. So apparently today he won. I simply cannot compete with him today with the program, which I performed today. But I am very happy with my little medal, no matter that it is silver”.

Jokingly Plushenko thanked his competitors, that they made him “a present”. “ Of course, the second place became a surprise for me,”- admitted the Olympic champion.

- But I skated my program worthy and emotionally and I am very pleased of that.”

The figure skater assumes there is a possibility, that he tries to make a quad in the free.

“For me all the battle is ahead. Today I skated without the quad. For the day after tomorrow – we will see. But the main thing for me, of course, is the next season 2014. I have come here to show myself, to perform in front of my supporters, to fulfill the program and like my coach likes to say – to show that I am alive,” – said Plushenko.

He considers, that for him a program without a quad is ‘a step back’. “But I understand, that, if I do the quad in such a condition, after that I have to stay 2-3 minutes, so that the meniscus goes at its place. The judges will not allow me to do that, even if they have in mind all my titles.” – states the three times world champion.

“People call me the King of the Ice” Evgeni Plushenko about the victory on ECh – 2012

Evgeni Plushenko, who became 7 times European champion in the European championships, after the end of the competition, told us, why he decided to jump the quad in the free program and once again confirmed that he will not participate in the World championships in Nice, but he will take part in the 2014 Olympics.

- After the short program, you said, that you will not take the risk to jump the quad in the free.- On the evening training on Friday I did the triple and felt that I can do more. Then I jumped the quad and felt that my knee did not shoot. On the day of the competition I did the training in the same method and the quad worked.

- Needles to ask you if you are glad with your performance at the free program.- They told me even, that I seemed more happy than at the Olympics. With every year it becomes more difficult to skate. Old injuries start to be felt and new ones appear. That is why I am so happy of my performance here.

- After the quad, may be your courage rose and you did not have any difficulty with the other elements.- I remember the World championships in Budapest. I did the cascade “4-3-2” and after that , when I came to the triple Axel, my skate flew away. Then Brian Joubert became the champion. This became for me a good lessen. Here it was more easy in a sense that I had the preliminary competition, it was a good practice.

- How do you feel, being the 7 time European champion?- It is as if I went 10 years back. I began a new period in my career.

- You changed suddenly your mind about the quad, can you change it for the Worlds too? Can we hope to see you in Nice?- Now my first task is to cure myself, so that I can train of full value for the next season. I could not train with full value nor in Italy, nether in Estonia in the training camps. I will not be in Nice, I give way to the young.

- How long do you plan to compete?- I am not one of those, who, when they win one Olympics start winning money from their golden medal. The sportsman wants to do what he can do best – to compete. Now for me the most important motivation is the Sochi Olympics. They will be my 4th Olympics. I don’t know what the result will be, but my participation itself will be a victory.

- Even today people call you “God” and the competitors just fall down before you.- This is a bit much. People call me “King of the Ice”. I try to be one and to remain as one in the memory of my admirers. I love figure skating. I need the courage, the adrenalin, the atmosphere of the competition. Without that I cannot imagine my life.

“I am shocked form Plushenko’s skating” The expert of “Gazeta Ru” Nikolay Morozov about the results in the EC- 2012

The expert of “Gazeta Ru” Nikolay Morozov, observing the results of the European championships of figure skating, stated, that he was shocked form Evgeni Plushenko’s performance in Sheffield. The famous coach and producer valued highly the artistry of the 7 times European champion.

The main event of the competition in Sheffield became the return of Evgeni Plushenko. I was simply shocked from his performance. How much masculine power he has!

In the free program Evgeni showed such a level, which in this season cannot show even Patrik Chan.

And the marks for the components are not heightened. I would have put even higher ones! The skating, which Plushenko shows, is a real man’s skating. He has a charisma. That is why his skating is a felt like a skating, not just walking on the ice.

Moskva, 26 Jan – RIA Novosti. The coach Tatjana Tarasova stated for the agency of “R-Sport”, that Evgeni Plushenko, who returned to perform at a high level, leads the world men’s figure skating.

At the European championships in Sheffield, Plushenko won the golden medal, despite his chronicle knee injury and the pain in the back. The student of Alexey Mishin performed flawlessly all the 3 programs, although at some trainings he could not even skate. The silver prise winner became another Mishin’s student Arthur Gachinski.

“The return of Plushenko – this is a remarkable event in the life of the world sport. I cried all the night from exaltation after his performance, because he went out winning over himself, his fear and pain, and showed all the world how a great sportsman of nowadays should behave and live. Plushenko leads not only our figure skating, but the world figure skating. I admire this impulse in him and bow down before Mishin’s talent. All this calls forth exaltation and an enormous gratitude.” – said Tarasova in a phone conversation.

The coach thinks, that the performance of Plushenko was prepared “very professionally and knowledgeably”. “In the beginning of the free program the most important element was done – the quad, and all the rest were as if strung after it. Zhenya skated with an enormous joy and presented with this joy all the planet.”

“I can imagine what a hard work it had been – to prepare Plushenko, to help him recover from the injury. I am very grateful to Alexey Mishin and to all the team – the choreographer, the coach for the general physical training, I am grateful, of course, to Zhenya too. I am grateful to his wife Jana, that she keeps this fire burning. We see now how the other guys are growing, how rapidly progresses Gachinski. With two such skaters, we have a hope. Gachinski becomes a real skater, and Evgeni guides him, the way he guides the whole world figure skating.”

“The Russian team had a imposing success. I want to congratulate everybody, who contributed to that.”

Before upcoming surgery on the meniscus a doctor asked me if a three years quarantee would be enough. I answered that I do not need three, even two would be enough.

- What are your emotions being 7 times European champion? - It is as if I am 10 years back. I started a new period in my career. I am not one of those, who when they win one Olympics start earning money from their gold. A sportsman wants to do what he can do best – to compete. For me now the most important motivation is the 2014 Olympics. These will be my 4th Olympics. I don’t know what the result will be, but only my participation in them will be a victory for me.

- Is it more difficult to fight with your competitors or with yourself? - I don’t fight with my competitors for long ago now, although the competition in the figure skating grows up with every year. There appeared many strong sportsmen. I try to overcome myself, sometimes with force. For example, at training I can do one and the same jumps sometimes without pain, and sometimes with unbearable pain. I do not mercy myself and it works up normally.

- Are your injuries as a result of the difficulties of your cascades “4-3-3” - They are more as a result of my long time skating now. I do trainings every day, these are constant physical loadings. The figure skating is not only “4-3-3”, which no body except me did at Europeans and Worlds.

- Didn’t the Olympic champion Alexey Jagudin jump this cascade? - Not at competitions. At the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City and at one more competition he did “4-3-2”. Till now I am the only one to whom the most difficult cascade submitted. I was also learning how to jump quadruple Lutz, the cascade “triple Axel – quadruple Toeloop”, a combination of two quads. One cannot do such difficult elements without everyday training. Unfortunately, you cannot substitute the old leg for a new one or buy a new back.

- When one is nearly 30, is the training the same like when you are a beginner? - No, it is different. When I start the season, I do the complete training circle. Just before the competitions I train very shortly, pure technique. But the intensity is like 10 years before.

- Has your life style changed for 10 years? - There was a moment, when it changed, yes. But now it is again like before, it is aimed towards the direction of achieving success in sport. This season I refused to participate in any shows, except 2 in Italy – on 31st December and 1st January. But it was good for me to show some elements, which I did not do quite well in Saransk. It was necessary, because we took the decision to participate at the Europeans.

- Did you have many invitations for shows? - In the Summer only Japan invited me to do 50 performances. I refused, the way I refused China and Korea, whose invitations were financially very profitable. I preferred to train. I did not go to social meetings too. I went only to those, organized by my business partners. My life had a very merciless time table : morning training, rest, evening training or relaxing procedures. We had a plan for fulfilling our goal and our team followed it closely.

- Who took the decision to participate in Sheffield? - The final word had the leader of the Russian Figure Skating Federation. They had in mind also the opinion of my coach Alexey Mishin. There was one more problem – I had not enough rating points. It was solved thanks to the efforts of the Federation and the good will of the International Union of Skaters ISU.

- How did you feel having to do the qualifications? - There was a time, when at the Europeans every body had to do the qualifications, no matter their titles and rating. Now it was a chance for me to participate at the Europeans and understand if I can stand the competition with this physical condition of mine. It was an extra training at a competition level. Like a prelude to the main start.

- Wasn’t you tempted to do a more easy program at the qualifications, without the quad? - No, just the opposite. I had to do the quad at any cost. In those times, when the qualification was a part of the triple battle I did not give up any difficult element. I jumped even “4-3-3” and a second quad. One more time to check yourself and the fulfillment of the difficult elements doesn’t make any harm.

- Was the training in Sheffield successful. - It was a very hard training. Before the qualifications they made me 5 injections – 2 in the back and 3 in the knee. Physically I was not ready for a long performance and at the end it was hard.

- In the short program it was obvious, that you skated with a great courage. - I had such a task. If I do not jump the quad, I had to show perfect lines and good emotions. I skated with pleasure and out of my soul. Although I am not used any more to perform so early. It is very hard to get up at 5 in the morning to do the training.

- At the 2006 Olympics in Tourin you said that winning the Olympic golden medal you had to search for a new motivation, new stimuli. One of your aims was to experiment with choreography and a second one – to master new difficult jumps. Now your injuries do not allow you to do quadruple Lutz or Flipp, but your program reminds the Olympic one. - I do not agree with that. Yes, I skate tango again. But at the Olympics it was the dance of passion and love and now it is the dance of suffering and disappointment. It was in no way connected with the Olympics. I just like the tango and now I skate in this rhythm. I like the expressive, cruel, but melodical music. And I think my musik is exactly like that.

- You are never unfaithful to your choreographer David Advish and arrangement maker Edvin Marton. Don’t you want to experiment with another team? - I adore my team I will not change it. It does not mean, that I will not try different things. Before the beginning of this season I worked with Stephane Lambiel. I have some ideas for the production of the program and I will surely realize them. But Avdish and Marton and all of my team will stay with me.

- How could you work with your old competitor Stephane Lambiel, who at any competition had the aim to win over Plushenko. - It was very pleasant to work with Stephane. He is a real professional, he produced a very good program for me. It was unlike anything I did till now. But when I saw the final result I told my coach and choreographer “We are doing the tango”. But many of the movements, on which we worked with Lambiel were included in the program.

- For a long time only Mishin could decide which program you will skate. Is now the final word yours? - Except in the very first years of our work together , we made the decisions together. I am thankful, that Alexey Nikolaevich listens to me too and gives me much freedom in the choice of music and choreography.

- You mentioned, that you will do an operation. Why did you chose Germany? - In Germany I made all my operations. The German doctors know my body thoroughly. I thrust some Russian doctors too, who recovered me for some responsible competitions, including this Europeans. Unfortunately, in Russia there are no such conditions for rehabilitation. Now they work much to improve them. I receive much help, as other skaters and other sportsmen, from the Ministry of sport, tourism and youthful politics RF. But I prefer Germany after all. Although my last operation there was not very successful. I suffered all season long.

- And after that you take the risk to go to these doctors again? - They advised me not to do an operation, but I insisted. The doctor played it save – cut the meniscus only a little and smoothened the rest. Now the intervention will be more serious. The doctor asked me if a three years guarantee would be enough. I answered that I do not need three, even two would be enough.

- After The 2010 Olympics you made a surgery knowing that may be you could not do quads in the next years. - I did not plan at all to participate at competitions! But it became clear I cannot do without the adrenalin they give me. I hope the next operation will be successful and I will go back to training after half a month.